NinjaGo: The Elemental Crystals
by HiroKaiMarc
Summary: After the defeat of the Preeminent, Ninjago is in a bright time of peace. But when a new crop of villains breaks the spell, it's up to the ninja to put a stop to their evil plans. But it's not world domination they're after… the only way to defeat such powerful criminals is to retrieve the Elemental Crystals to take their elemental powers to a brand new level.
1. Prologue - Transformation Pt 1

**Prologue - Transformation Pt. 1**

Kai glanced back and forth, from one wall made of sky-blue crystals to the _other_ wall made of sky-blue crystals. He shouldn't have been there. He needed to be back at Stiix…

The Preeminent was free, Lloyd was gone, and the sixteen realms were doomed.

And Kai wasn't around to help. He hated himself for not being there to save Lloyd after he promised the young boy that he would keep him safe. But Lloyd was absent, and it was all Kai's fault.

"Sensei? Misako? Where are you guys?" He called, but to no avail. His cries echoed through the caves unanswered.

Kai sighed, "If there really _is_ something here that can help defeat the Preeminent, why haven't you found it yet? And what do _I_ have to do with all this?"

Silence.

Again, Kai exhaled as he continued his march down the crystal-coated passageways. Every once and a while, he would look over to his reflection in the wall. For the first time, he realized that he looked very different compared to his appearance two years ago, when Sensei Wu first found him.

His eyes, which used to be hazel, now glinted a brilliant shade of amber to signify his elemental abilities. Along with this color change, his hair had grown a few inches since he cut it last… two years ago. The curled ends almost met his shoulders.

 _Yeah, I should probably fix that…_ Kai thought with the barest of smiles.

The thought of his appearance two years ago got him thinking about his childhood. He'd always felt the best part of his upbringing was when he was very young, around six… when he had plenty of unsuspecting friends to throw mud at, and only his three _best_ friends would throw mud back.

He missed them… he missed _him_ at that young, innocent age. Six-year-old Kai could skip around and chuck wet soil at his friends, or horse around with his little sister without having to worry about what horrors and villains tomorrow would bring.

But eighteen-year-old Kai had a lot to worry about… his sister, his adopted family, Ninjago, the other fifteen realms that existed parallel to it. Not to mention young, innocent Kai hadn't seen all the blood… all the death that older Kai had. In fact, grown-up Kai wasn't even afraid to witness death anymore; he was too jaded now.

Kai was jolted from his thoughts when he heard someone call out to him in the opposite direction he was pacing in.

So, by reflex, he rotated toward the sound of the voice, and before he was even allowed a reaction, a flash of red sped toward him at the speed of light and caught him dead center in the chest. For just a moment, he felt a brief but painful twinge before the cave around him swirled and his world faded into a dizzying blackness.

* * *

Pain. That was the first thing Kai remembered. Sharp, excruciating pain that flooded through his entire body. His head spun… he couldn't think clearly. So he didn't. Instead, he clenched his teeth and balled up his fists to keep from screaming in front of the two hazy individuals he'd seen sitting in front of him before closing his eyes to the pain.

After about fifteen seconds, both the aching and the dizziness faded. He was too afraid to open his eyes. What if the two people he had witnessed by his side were out to hurt him? And what about the sharp affliction he felt just seconds ago? Where did it come from? Would it come back?

But, despite his concern, it didn't. Instead, it was replaced by a unique, blossoming warmth in his chest. It burned like the fire he held in his hand; it did not hurt him, but it let off a special brand of heat that gave him the confidence that he needed to continue on with a battle. But now… not so much. It just bequeathed to him more questions.

"Kai? Kai, are you all right?" Asked an older woman's voice.

Kai remembered that voice. It sounded just like Misako herself, Lloyd Garmadon's mother.

Still hesitant, he ever so slowly opened his eyes. And once the fogginess of his vision dissolved into nothing, he realized that his earlier predictions were incorrect. Both Misako _and_ Sensei Wu were leaning over him, barraging him with questions that were simply different ways of asking if he was okay.

"Yeah… yeah, I think so." Kai exhaled, feeling too drained to even stand up.

"How do you feel?" Wu's tone was very, _very_ serious - though he had the slight smile on his face – and he gave Kai a sort of perplexed expression.

 _Is he… sizing me up?"_ Kai thought agitatedly, but he still felt that he should have answered Wu's query.

So, he took a moment to think about it. He felt feeble, fatigued, but the most prevalent wasn't the strange burning sentiment in his chest, but there was something eerily unfamiliar about his body.

"I feel… different." He answered apprehensively.

Wu and Misako glanced toward each other, then winced.

Kai was taken aback. "What?" The filter that had been keeping the anger out of his voice was beginning to fail. "What do _you_ know that _I_ don't?"

"Stand up, dear, and you'll see." Misako awkwardly sighed.

It took a minute (and some assistance) for Kai to find his footing, for he still felt slightly faint and unsteady on his feet.

For the first time since he awoke to this… situation, if that's what you would call it, he took a moment to take in his surroundings. He seemed to be in a cavern of crystals, just like he was when he and Skylor were captured by Chen and his Anacondrai followers.

But there were neither Anacondrai wannabes nor extremely attractive young women here… just him, Wu, Misako, and a cave made of crystals. He felt as though he had just been here minutes ago, but he ignored the sense of familiarity as another feeling pulled at him.

He peered to the closest wall, about three feet from him, and scanned his reflection. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had to do a double take just to make sure he wasn't crazy.

There was something significantly unusual about his body...

 _Dragon's_ wings, lit up in flames.

One green eye, one blue, both narrowed to fit the perfect look of a _dragon's_.

A blood-red tail, spiked and the end also on fire.

Small fangs poking out of his mouth, just big enough to form a slight overbite… with those two teeth, anyway.

And finish it off, pointed ears the color of a deep, bloody blaze, matching that of a _dragon's_.

Kai was utterly speechless. He couldn't breath. He was – partly, at least – a dragon, and he had no idea what or why or when or how.

"What did you do to me?" He growled at the two flabbergasted humans behind him.

They were too mortified to respond.

Kai was still unable to take his eyes off his own alarming image. After a few more moments of silence, he shouted angrily, "What did you do to me?"

* * *

 **Hey, guys! Hiro here! Hope you like my new story! Gotta jet! Bye! :D**

 **-Hiro**


	2. Prologue – Transformation Pt 2

**Prologue – Transformation Pt. 2**

"What did you do to me?"

Wu and Misako, still dumbfounded, said nothing.

"Fine," Kai grumbled, stalking off into the direction of the exit. "I'll find out for myself."

"Kai, wait!" Misako called out to him.

Kai paused; clenching his fists, but didn't turn to her.

Catching his attention, Misako continued. "There's something else we haven't told you about your parents."

Kai sighed. This was the third time someone had dangled that carrot in the duration of about four months. He knew there were things he didn't comprehend about his maternities - they died when he was in his early teen years, after all – But he was weary of the same, worn-out falsehood that he had heard over and over again since Chen's tournament. He'd rather not know. After all, his parents kept those secrets from him for a reason.

"Well…" Misako began, but she couldn't find the words to resume.

Wu dipped his head in understanding, and then continued for her. "Your father… wasn't all he seemed to be."

"He was a Master of Fire, I know." Kai groaned, rolling his eyes. "Not exactly mind-shattering."

"No, he was more than that." Wu said as he shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Your father, Sky, wasn't born a human… he was born a dragon."

Kai froze in his tracks. His father wasn't… human? But how? This was a secret he desired to hear about.

"He was the First Spinjitzu Master's companion, the alpha of all dragons," Wu continued to explain, ignoring the dumbstruck expression on Kai's face. "But from the moment he was born, he longed to live the life of a mortal. So, the First Spinjitzu Master granted him a new life as human."

Kai had begun a three-foot pace back and forth, his tail lashing. "So let me get this straight, my father was a dragon-turned-human?"

Wu simply nodded.

"Then what's this?" Kai huffed as he pointed downward to the small, flame-colored crystal embedded into the skin at the base of his chest.

"That," Misako said, abruptly enthusiastic. "Is an Elemental Crystal. After the birth of their children, it was said that the Elemental Masters trapped their powers in these crystals in hopes that it would assist their heroic offspring one day."

"And Sky," Wu nodded, smiling. "Left for you his dragon abilities for emergencies."

"Okay," Sighed Kai. "I think I get it now. But I have one more question: Ninjago's been through a lot of emergencies. So why show me these powers now?"

"Because this time, not even Lloyd can defeat the Preeminent. The responsibility is yours."

Kai nodded, determined. "That what do I have to do?"

"We must travel to the Dragons' Realm to show the dragons their new leader."

"Okay! First stop, Dragons' Realm!"

* * *

Flying wasn't as easy to Kai as other dragons made it look, especially for a young man who just found out that he had they were practically his kin. But, since Kai had dragon DNA, they no longer needed the Realm Crystal to transport between the sixteen realms, and in no time, they found themselves in the Dragons' Realm.

Kai was amazed by how beautiful the place was. A large palace stood in the center, with vines and red and black flowers twirling around the base. This was also true of the gates that protected the Alpha from enemies. Dragons blew past almost every second, and none were worried enough to even glance toward the visitors.

 _My father used to rule over this place? How will I ever do the same?_ Kai thought anxiously.

Two rather large stone dragons stood beside the gates, long and very pointy spears in their grasp.

Kai was about to walk up to the gate when the statutes suddenly sprang to life, pointing their lethal weapons at the Masters of Spinjitzu. "Halt, trespassers!" They exclaimed in unison.

Kai jumped back in surprise, and while doing this, he accidently slapped Misako and Wu across the head with his fiery tail. "Oops," He sighed embarrassingly as he helped them to their feet. "Sorry about that."

Both nodded in acceptance.

The stone guardians continued as if nothing happened. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" The first guard asked.

"I and Wu," The sensei replied, stepping up the warriors. "And this is Misako…"

The second guard growled impulsively. "What about the Dragon Boy?"

"That's…" Wu began, but was interrupted by the second guard. "Let him speak for himself."

"Um," Kai hesitated. "I'm Kairhee."

"Hmm…" The first pondered. "He looks almost exactly like Sky, our former alpha. Don't you think, Canyon?"

Canyon bowed his head. "Yes, I suppose he does, Owl. And look to his chest!"

Owl did as he was told. "On, my!" He exclaimed. "The Dragon's Crystal! But that means…"

"Yes," Kai answered awkwardly. His cheeks burned, and he was sure they were as red as the fire he welded. "Sky was my father, so I guess I'm next in line for the throne."

"Yes, I suppose you are," Canyon repeated, awestruck. "Come, let me show you your new kingdom… Alpha."

Again, Kai blushed. He wasn't used to such special treatment.

"As your 'children' - that's what your father used to call us, anyway - communication between one another it completely mental. We just had to think about it, and messages between us can be sent back and forth, which is especially useful in the field of battle."

The battle! Kai had almost forgotten. "Excuse me, uh… Canyon?"

"Yes?"

"Well, Ninjago is in the midst of the biggest battle in history, and we need the help of the entire kingdom."

"Just tell us what to do."

* * *

Nya was beginning to worry about her missing brother. The battle between the ninja and the Preeminent was heating up fast, and the assistance Misako and Wu claimed to have fetched was nowhere in sight.

What are we gonna do?

Even the other ninja seemed concerned for the safety of Ninjago's residents, along with those of the other fifteen realms.

But just when their hope of survival and victory was depleting, a colossal roar rattled the entire village of sticks and frightened everyone within proximity of it.

"Is this the assistance Wu and Misako were talking about?" Zane asked.

"I sure hope so," Cole sighed. "Because whoever or whatever that is, it sounds mean."

Suddenly, a fiery spiral blew past the ninja and land in front of them, hundreds of other dragons settling down behind him, growling menacingly.

They couldn't believe their eyes. There stood Kai, with a new uniform consisting of plenty of dragons and diamonds. He grasped a huge sword with ancient carvings on the blade, lit up in flames. And his chocolate-brown hair had changed too; with a few inches added to the usual length that was tied up in the back with a blood red bow. One singular piece of hair hung beside his forehead, now dyed the same color of his elemental abilities.

The enemy seemed equally dumbstruck.

"Wow," Morro chuckled. "So you're Sky the Great's son? The amazing Master of Dragons! Well, even someone with the power of hundreds of dragons at his is no match for the Green Ninja!"

Kai winced. Now he remembered… Lloyd was trapped in the Cursed Realm and Morro had pronounced himself the Green Ninja. Well, not for long!

The Master of Dragons grinned as he ran his sword across the wooden flooring in a strange pattern that even Morro gave a confused face to.

 _This is going to be easier than expected._ Kai thought with pride.

When he was done, three very large dragons with teal scales emerged from the water. And as ghosts flew at them, they spit hefty amounts of boiling water toward the spirits, and they were evaporated.

The other ninja were in complete astonishment. Kai had gone from controlling the very fire that burned within to every dragon in existence.

"Such a big leap in power!" Morro continued to cackle. "I even feel a bit envious… not!"

Kai rolled his eyes. "Well, you should be!"

And with that, hundreds, maybe even thousands of more dragons burst from the water, the woodworks, even houses and huts. With Kai in the lead, the beasts took flight to face off against the Preeminent.

"All right!" Kai cheered, delighted his plan actually worked. "Everyone, charge!"

* * *

 **Hello, everyone! I'm sorry it's been such a long time since my last update. I was suffering from really bad writer's block… and I was in the hospital for a while cause I broke my leg, so I've felt really sick lately. But I'm getting better, and I have about 5 more weeks of walking using crutches! :(**

 **To add insult to injury, school starts next week, so I won't be writing as often, but I promise I will try as hard as possible!**

 **But, on the contrary, reading all of your super nice and inspirational reviews has made me a lot better! Thank you to all who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story! I love you all so, so much!**

 **Welp, time to at least try and get a new chapter of The Blacksmith's Son up, so I've gotta go! Hope you all liked this chapter! There will be at least one more prologue chapter before the actual story begins, just to let you know. And once more, thank you all for your kindness and patience!**

 **This is Hiro signing off!**


	3. Prologue – Brothers Until The End

**Prologue – Brothers Until The End**

Jay was practically laughing at the sight of Kai's charge. "Wow! Look at him go!"

"Yeah!" Cole nodded. "Who knew he had that kind of power in him?"

Nya sighed. "Apparently, Sensei did."

"That would make a lot of sense. He is known for withholding secrets from us until the last minute." Jay snickered.

Meanwhile, above the village of Stiix, Kai and his dragons were holding the line well. Every once and a while, one of the massive beasts would get knocked into the water, but they got right back up, just as Kai always did.

Wu nodded in pride. Sky would've been proud.

But Kai had to admit, he couldn't fight forever, but the enemy sure could. Anytime one of Kai's dragons took out a cursed spirit, they would just respawn through the Realm Crystal. And Morro even said it himself, with every new soul the Preeminent stole, she grew stronger and stronger. Kai just hoped she wouldn't become too sturdy for even a dragon army of thousands to defeat.

After a few more exhausting minutes, the large beasts were feeling fatigued, and that greatly weaken their side of the battle. One by one, dragons we knocked out of the sky. Kai's armada was weakening, and the Preeminent was only growing more resistant to the attacks. Eventually, when Kai had his back turned as he was assisting a smaller version of a fire dragon, he too was knocked into the ocean below.

As soon as he hit the water, a harsh hissing sound strained his ears. The flames that menacingly lit up his dragon half were put out. Ironically, it let off an agonizing burning sensation. He felt as though he were on fire. He was grateful no one could hear him scream underwater. Salt water quickly filled his lungs; he was drowning… fading fast. His vision blurred - not that it was so clear, anyway - but just before it got any worse, he felt a sharp set of claws dig into his shoulder and he was ripped out of the water.

What a relief it was to be on dry land! At first, Kai could scarcely get a breath of air, for he spent almost two minutes coughing up salt water and he could barely fight through the sharp pain in his shoulder in his weakened state. But when he was allowed to breathe, he felt his strength returning to him. Such an uplifting sensation!

Once he was well enough to process his surroundings, he searched for his savior. It turned out to be Owl, the stone dragon who identified Kai as the new alpha of the entire species, staring him down with deep and sincere concern in his bright yellow eyes.

"Are you well, Alpha?"

Kai nodded halfheartedly. "I'm… fine." He managed to gag.

"You surely don't sound fine. Let Sparky take over for now… at least until you regain the strength to lead us."

"Okay… but who's Sparky?"

Owl pointed upward toward a miniature dragon, his scales the color of flames. It was the same small beast that Kai had assisted earlier!

But Kai didn't question the decision. Instead he simply nodded in approval and watched as Owl gave the young dragon the news.

"Okay, good," Sparky replied. "Send Canyon down to protect the Alpha while he recovers. Everyone else, charge!"

And, boy, did they! They fought harder than ever ever before, knowing that that they were not only defending the fifteen realms from utter destruction, but they were also defending their weakened leader.

Down below, Nya was starting to get worried. She watched with fear as Kai was knocked from sky into the water, and she hadn't spotted him since.

"Where's my brother?" She asked Wu desperately.

The Sensei didn't hesitate to point him out, being shielded under the stone wings of Canyon… and Nya didn't hesitate to race to his side.

"What happened to you?" She questioned worriedly. Young Nya wasn't used to seeing her older brother in such a frail and fragile state.

"Nothing… I'm fine." Kai answered.

"He's lying," Canyon said with a sly grin as he looked to Nya. "He almost drowned a few minutes ago, and unless we can defeat the Preeminent in this final strike, I think we all will."

Kai glanced up to his sister sighed. "Nya, it's up to you now. You have to... help the others!"

"But what about you?"

"I'll be fine! Just… just go!"

After a few more seconds of arguing, Nya finally gave in, and she rushed off to the edge of a lengthy pier, where just twenty yards away, dragons were taking on cursed spirits and their large queen.

As she gazed upon the largest battle of all time, she found that voices were running through her head… the voices of many she knew, all saying the same thing: _"Your flaw is that you give up too easily; you only like what comes easy to you… don't be afraid to fail, Nya."_ This went on for a minute or two before all the voices faded and left her with one last speaker: her very own brother.

 _"Nya, it's up to you now!"_

With a nod of determination, Nya close her eyes and tried her best to convince herself that she wasn't afraid to fail.

 _I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid…_

She felt her new-found power glowing in her chest. She was no longer frightened of failure, and she never would be.

 _I'm. Not. Afraid!_

The next thing she knew, she was sending a colossal wave on a mission to crash over the Preeminent and all who lived within her. Both dragons and spirits fled the scene.

Nearby, Kai watched with a prideful grin. But it faded quickly when he found that Sparky was about to be engulfed by the water, and he was in too much of a shock to move out of the way.

 _Someone has to help him!_

At the thought that one of his own was about to join his ancestors, the flames returned to Kai's dragon half… and his heart. His strength flooded back to him, and without hesitation, he took of into the dawning sky to snatch up the frozen beast. Fortunately, he succeed, just as the wave crashed.

The Preeminent was instantly engulfed in salt water, and as she dissolved into nothing, she pulled her followers down with her.

Morro had just been snatched from the air and was slowly being pulled into the depths below when Sensei Wu and his power dragon appeared beside him.

"Give me your hand, Morro!" Wu exclaimed, holding out his hand.

"Why?" Morro snarled. "So you can take back the Realm Crystal and save your prized pupil?"

Wu sighed. "You're _all_ my prized pupils, but sometimes even the greatest warrior needs support. You can join our team, and we can show you what it's like to be a hero… together!"

Morro took a moment to think about it. Maybe this was finally a way to impress Sensei Wu: joining him!

With a wistful smile, Morro, grasped Wu's hand, and he was freed from the Preeminent's grasp. And just as he was, he found that his outfit was now the same as Kai's, with a light gray shade instead of red, and a lot less dragons. The highlight in his hair had gone from green to white, and he was no longer surrounded in an eerie green color to signify his cursed spirit… which he no longer was. From this day on, he would the Ninja of Wind.

A steamboat parked itself at the pier and elated villagers leapt off the boat, squealing with excitement and joy that their ninja were alive and well (and a couple stronger than before), and their village (and the fifteen realms) was safe.

And their saviors were already celebrating their victory by jumping up and down and cheering Nya's name to the rising sun.

"Ninja, we have a new member joining the team. "Said Sensei Wu.

The ninja ceased in their victory dances and loud cheering to rotate to Sensei Wu and a very nervous Morro in new clothing… and a mortal body. Plus, a rescued Lloyd and Sensei Garmadon.

"Whoa!" Lloyd exclaimed at his first glance of Kai's new appearance and a flame-colored dragon (with the Dragon's crystal embedded in _his_ chest, as well) perched on Kai's shoulder. "Kai, you look awesome!"

Kai simply blushed, then waved to Garmadon in greeting. "Long time, no see?"

Each one of them dipped their heads in respect to Morro and Cole even greeted him kindly as the Ninja of Wind.

"Thank you all so much for accepting me," Morro thanked them. "I know it will take some time to adjust to this new lifestyle, and I'm not sure if I can ever forgive myself for what I've done, but I promise to fight for Ninjago and the other fourteen realms remaining."

"Trust me," Garmadon reassured his newest student. "I know how it feels. But you're still young… you have plenty of time to make up for your actions."

Cole dipped his head. "Sensei G's right. No matter what, we're more than just a team, we're brothers…"

"Cole, look!" Nya gasped, pointing to the Ninja of Earth's body as its green glow faded.

Cole chuckled excitedly. He could feel again! He was no longer a ghost!

"Hey, if Morro can defy destiny, then why can't we?" He shrugged.

Jay snickered. "Sure, some of us may look a little different..." He said, glancing back to Kai.

"But that's okay," Nya declared. "Sometimes you've just gotta _go with the flow_!"

"So, tell us Lloyd," Jay demanded. "Since we already have such a perfect ending to our legend, you gotta tell us what we're saving!"

Lloyd chuckled and shook his head. "Let's just say the future looks bright for us… and Ninjago."

* * *

 **Greetings, my children! I hope you enjoyed the final prologue chapter for The Elemental Crystals! I still have another 4 weeks of using crutches to walk, and tomorrow, I start high school! I'm so nervous… mostly because there's so many stairwells! DX**

 **But I'll be fine… I hope! Anyways, for anyone else who has already started school or are about to, I wish you luck in this new year!**

 **One more thing, I know it's a little early to announce this, but I will (probably) be doing another Ninjago Christmas fanfic this year, probably around the same time as last year. It will be called Home for the Holidays, and (naturally), it's gonna be about Kai and Nya (but mostly Kai! XD) visiting their old home for Christmas. Hopefully, it will be an improvement on last year's, _Little Wonders_. It will be ****similar, but with less anger fits from Kai. ;)**

 **I will announce more as I think of more to say about it… because the holidays will be here before we know it! Four months isn't too far off, so as November approaches, watch out for Home for the Holidays! Let's just hope I'll have enough time to finish it on _paper_ before that time comes! **

**Welp, I'm probably just rambling on now, so I should go and at least try to update The Blacksmith's Son. For all those who read that story, let's hope Sky and Priscilla get to Kai in time!**

 **-Hiro**

 **P.S.: This weird thing I decided to do for some reason.**

 **Me:** Merry Christmas!

 **Kai:** Merry Christmas? But it's _August_!

 **Me:** So?

 **Kai:** Christmas isn't until December. *chuckles pridefully* My birth month.

 **Jay:** Only in Hiro's fanfics!

 **Kai:** Shut up!

 **Me:** It's true, though. And, if we're gonna get technical, Nya's birthday is the same as your's, just two years apart. (I made Nya four years younger in the Blacksmith's son for those adorable sibling moments!)

 **Nya:** So, wait, am I two years younger than Kai, or four?

 **Kai:** Ask Hiro!

 **Me:** Um… well… see… what were talking about?

 **Zane:** According to P.I.X.A.L, we were talking about Christmas in August.

 **Me:** Right, right. Thanks, Zane. Anyway, I brought the ninja here to help me promote my upcoming Ninjago Christmas fanfic, _Home for the Holidays_! It's about my bae, Kai! XD

 **Cole & Kai:** But it's _August_!

 **Kai:** Wait, did you just call me your _bae?_ What even is that?

 **Me:** *ignoring Kai's comment* I don't care if it's August! It's December in my heart.

 **Morro:** That doesn't even make sense.

 **Me:** You… you don't make sense!

 **Morro:** What?

 **Me:** I don't know! Let's all just say Merry Christmas so we can end this very strange conversion and free the readers' eyes from our pointlessness.

 **Morro:** Stop not making sense!

 **Me:** _You_ stop not making sense!

 **Jay:** *while we all argue in the background* Merry Christmas… I guess. And make sure to check out _Home for the Holidays_ some time in November… right? That was what was in the script, right?

 **So, anyway, if you liked that pointlessness, let me know in the comments and I will do it more often. If you didn't, that's fine. Just make sure to check out my Christmas story in November, _Home for the Holidays!_ Bye! :)**


	4. Suspicion

**Chapter 1: Suspicion**

One month. That had been that exact amount of time since the ninjas' victory against the Preeminent. The victory would not have been possible without the help of Kai and his dragons.

One month. That had been the exact amount of time that it took to rebuild Stixx. It would've been a lot longer without the help of Kai and his dragons.

One month. That had been the exact amount of time that it took for Jay to muster up the courage to ask Nya to the make-up New Year's Day festival. This would not have been happening if it wasn't for Kai's encouragement (and his dragons).

* * *

"Hey, Nya?" He asked anxiously as he approached her sleeping quarters. He slowly knocked on her door and waited for a response of any kind… except the one he actually received.

"All right, it's settled. I'll be back in a couple days. See ya later, sis!" Kai exclaimed as he skipped out of his little sister's room with Sparky perched on his shoulders, a look of eagerness on the young dragon's face.

Nya quickly followed him out the door as she shouted angrily. "Kai, get back here! We agreed that you'd be back by tomorrow!"

"Sorry, can't hear you!" Kai called back with a sly smile. "Transporting between realms!"

Nya let out a long sigh, then glanced back to Jay. "Oh! Hi, Jay! I wasn't expecting you to be up at this hour."

Jay shrugged and added in a nervous chuckle. "Well… when you're a ninja, sometimes it's hard to sleep." He cleared his throat uneasily. "So, having brother - troubles?"

"Yeah," Nya exhaled. "Kai's been going to the Dragons' Realm a lot lately and for a longer time, and I have to admit… it's a bit worrying."

Again, Jay shrugged it off. "Hey, that's Kai for you." He was eager to get off the subject and back to their date. "So, Nya?"

"What's up?" She asked sweetly as ever.

"Well, the New Year's Festival is going on tomorrow, and I was wondering if you would come with me…?"

Nya smiled gratefully. "I'd love too!"

"Great!"

Fearing a nervous breakdown, Jay quickly scrambled back into his room without warning and slammed the door quite loudly, waking the other ninja.

"Jay, what was that for?" Lloyd demanded as he shot out of bed.

Morro didn't even move from his resting spot. "Yeah, it's the middle of the night!"

Zane, of course, was still fast asleep.

Cole simply glared at the Ninja of Lightning from the opposing side of the room.

An awkward silence hung in the air as the four ninja who were unaware of Kai's departure waited for his rant on how sleep was important. Alas, stillness was all that came from Kai's side of the room.

Cole cocked a brow. "Where's Kai?"

"Dragons' Realm…again, but let's get back the important topic here: Nya and I are going on a date tomorrow!"

Cole snickered. "Don't get bit by a Fangpyre this time."

"Ha, ha. Very funny."

Lloyd's face suddenly scrunched up with concern. "Wait, did you just say that Kai left for the Dragons' Realm?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, it's just that this is the third time this week. Something's going on here!"

* * *

As the rosy fingertips of dawn stretched out over the horizon, and the crisp colors of autumn began to settle in, Lloyd marched into the kitchen to find his father busy with breakfast.

The other ninja were fast asleep, due to their lack of duties and their training being long over.

"Good morning, Dad!" Lloyd announced as casually as ever, swallowing his concern for Kai's safety with an uneasy gulp.

"Good morning, son. Did you rest well?"

"I did, thank you."

"So, what brings you up so early?" The sensei asked calmly.

Lloyd winced as he tried his best to figure out his next few words. "Well… Kai sort of left for the Dragons' Realm… again."

"Again?" The elder questioned.

"Yeah, and I think he might be up to something."

Garmadon paused in his work and walked over to his son, gingerly resting his hand on his shoulder. "Son, Kai's just going through exactly what you went through a couple of years ago: he's trying to impress his father… trying to make himself heard… trying to show his father how much his teachings mean to him. Like every boy, Kai just wants his father to be proud of him. Little does he know that he has already surpassed that."

Lloyd cocked a brow. "And how exactly would you know that?"

"Let's just say that I know more than the rest of you."

* * *

After that _fascinating_ conversation with his father, then spending the entire duration of breakfast suspiciously eyeing Garmadon, and wondering if he really believed his father's theory about Kai's odd behavior, Lloyd knew it was time for action. So he gathered up the rest of the ninja and together, they formulated a plan.

* * *

About a week after Kai had returned, he had snuck off into the night again, but this time, the others would follow him into the darkness outside. There was no way Kai was going to get away with hiding such secrets!

As soon as they arrived, they hid behind a rose bush and spied on the Alpha Dragon.

Owl and Canyon, the two stone guards of the Dragons' Realm, bowed to Kai as he entered.

"Have you all been keeping close watch?" Kai asked.

"Yes, Alpha," Canyon replied. "But there has been no sign of them since their last attack."

Kai sighed. "They're planning something big… I can feel it."

In the bushes further back, Jay gasped… a lot louder than he intended to. "Them?"

Both the stone guards and the Master of Dragons froze. The ninja winced.

"Alpha, should we attack the source of the noise?"

"No," Kai growled. "I think I know who it is."

The young alpha stomped towards the bushes and leapt over them, landed cleanly on his two feet right next to his comrades… while landing directly on Jay's back, pinning the Master of Lightning against the ground.

"Want are you doing here?" Kai demanded.

"We just wanted to see why you were leaving so often." Answered Lloyd, his voice shaking.

Kai sighed guiltily. "I'm sorry for scaring you guys. I'm just trying to protect you. It's too dangerous for you to be here right now!"

"Why?" Zane queried. "Who's 'them'?"

Suddenly, an explosion shook the entire realm as dragons fled to their master.

Kai snarled menacingly. "That's 'them'!"

* * *

 **Hey, y'all! HKM here! Sorry for such the long wait! Schoolwork and laziness are the worst combination! But I'm back now! And I should hopefully be updating throughout the week, if not, this weekend.**

 **But there is some good news: I GOT OFF MY CRUTCHES LAST WEEKEND! XD**

 **Yes, I am excited to announce that I can freely walk up stairs again! Seriously, guys. Appreciate the ability to freely walk up stairs. The struggle... it... sucks really bad.**

 **Anyway, hoped you all liked the first official chapter of The Elemental Crystals! Trust me, it gets better.**

 **Welp, I've got homework that I laid off until now to do, so goodnight and enjoy! Have a great week, if I don't see you guys till this weekend, anyways.**

 **Buh-bye! :D**

 **-HKM**


	5. A New Enemy

**Chapter 2: A New Enemy**

"That's 'them'!"

While dragons fled from the scene of destruction, Kai whistled for his apprentice (who was in training to become the new alpha in case anything ever happened to Kai), Sparky.

"Sparky!" Kai called to the flame-colored dragon gliding above him. "You protect the other dragons and make sure they get out of here safely! Lead them to Garmadon's monastery in Ninjago!"

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" The dragon asked.

"I'll be fine!"

With a hesitant nod, Sparky soared in the other direction.

Kai whipped around to face Lloyd. "Lloyd, get the others home and warn the sensei's about our current situation. Whatever you do, don't stay."

"No," Lloyd protested. "I'm not leaving you here!"

Kai stared deep into the Green Ninja's blue eyes. "You have to, Lloyd. These people are too dangerous to take on without dragon powers! Please, for me, just go."

Like Sparky, Lloyd cautiously obeyed.

And just as the ninja followed the dragons back to Ninjago, three tall, muscular, and very arrogant men marched up to Kai and paused, sizing the Alpha Dragon up. Kai did the same to them. The leader was loftier and older than the other two, with slick black hair tied back in a ponytail like Kai's (and a lot like Clouse's!). The next was a young man around twenty, with shorter black hair and icy-gray eyes to match his personality. He was a little less bulky than his leader. And the third, who was around the same age as Kai, was a little stringy, but tough. The only one with pale blonde hair in the group stood out, but not only as the most different-looking, but as the most persistent and reckless. Well, they were _all_ that way.

"Well, well, well," The leader greeted as casually as ever. "Kairhee Nightingale: the great Master of Dragons! We meet again."

"Travis Coates." Kai mocked in the same manner. "Didn't think I'd see you and your sons again after our last ambush. Have you come back for more?"

The son with dark hair like his father, Eli, slyly smiled at the Alpha. "No, actually we aren't."

"Then… why are you here?"

"You!"

By the time Kai finally realized he was in peril, it was already too late; he'd already been tied down by Travis's clever dragon traps.

"Once we take you down, we can take out the other dragons, then we'll sell all the meat and skin… and get rich!" The blonde boy, Caleb, exclaimed to the clouds.

Kai smiled grimly. "You know, it's illegal to sell any kind of merchandise from dragons in Ninjago."

"Who said we were selling through Ninjago?"

Kai winced. This was a fate he would rather not face. So as Travis and his sons wandered off to plan their next move, the Alpha Dragon stretched out his wings until the ropes snapped.

Grateful that his thoughtless plan was actually working, Kai raised his fiery wings and leapt into the sky, cheering internally as frustrated cries echoed beneath him.

There was a red glow, then he was gone.

* * *

The dawn light burst out over the mountain tops and lit the clouds to a fiery-orange glow, like a fire unleashing its flashing sparks into the sky… but there was still no sign of Kai anywhere. The dragons, being nocturnal creatures, lowered their heads in drowsiness, hoping they would see their master when they awoke.

But they didn't have to hope for long.

A blinding red light shined into their eyes, and before they could even react, it faded… and the Alpha Dragon rushed up to them, asking them it they were all okay and nuzzling their chins.

From inside the tea shop (Borg had helped revived the shop), the ninja and their allies rotated as they an elated uproar began outside.

"What's going on?" Cole probed, concerned.

The others didn't waste time attempting a response.

Ronin was the first one to make it out into the dawning light. "Guys, its Kai!" He called back.

But by the time they the others emerged from the shop to investigate, Kai was barely visible beneath the hoard of dragons - who at that point had reached two hundred elemental creatures – nuzzling him and purring thankfully.

After a couple more minutes, Kai managed to escape the overwhelming crowd… and his friends did almost the exact same thing.

"Kai! You're okay!"

"We thought you were a goner!"

"Yeah! Don't worry us like that again!"

Kai snickered halfheartedly. "Guys, guys, its okay! I'm fine!"

Lloyd gaped at him with a sadden face. "But… but what happened to the Dragons' Realm? You took care of your threat, right?"

Kai's allies looked at him in anticipation, but all Kai could do was sigh. "No, the Dragon Hunters have taken my realm. But don't worry," Kai gave the sympathetic faces the barest of smiles as he looked to the rising sun. "We'll take them down…" He then glanced to his dragons, "And we'll get our home back."

* * *

 **Hello, everyone! Happy Halloween! Thank you all for your patience! I've been lazy... very, very lazy. ._.**

 **I've got a lot of homework tonight, so I've gotta go! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!**

 **Quick shout-out to the following authors:** **lovesgod12, Kai's Girlfriend, and Firelce! Love you guys! Please check out their stories! They're all AMAZING!**

 **See ya guys! XD**

 **-HKM**


	6. New Powers and Allies

**Chapter 3: New Powers and Allies**

"In order to save the Dragons' Realm," Wu said as he led his ninja team into the crystal caverns where Kai had gained his powers just a month ago. "We must push your powers even further."

"But Sensei," Jay whined. "We discovered our true potentials almost _two years_ ago. And we just discovered our Elemental Dragons, too! What else is there to learn?"

Garmadon turned to his brother's student, smiling slightly. "Sky was a generous man. Not only did he leave his powers with his son, but with all of you."

The ninja gaped at each other, beaming elatedly.

"Even me?" Morro chirped.

"Sky saw the good in you… as he did in everyone." Wu replied. "He knew you would grow into a great man. And he was right."

Morro only ducked his head, hiding a smile.

"Oh, do we get to be like Kai? Do we get to rule over an entire realm?" Exclaimed Jay.

Kai snickered as he shook his head. "Well, you won't be able to rule over a whole realm, but..."

The Alpha Dragon let his words trail off, watching as six crystals slid to the ninjas' feet, each glowing its corresponding color.

Jay lifted his up. "What is this?" He stared inside of the dark blue crystal, until he suddenly gasped and threw it across the flooring.

"What is it, Jay?" Nya asked with earnest concern in her dazzling eyes.

"There…" The Master of Lightning stuttered. "There was a baby dragon in there… a frozen one."

Kai lifted the crystal to his fiery amber eyes as the blue light eliminated fractured patterns onto the ground when the dying sun stroke it, frowning at his skittish teammate. "And it's been in a deep hibernation for centuries… until now."

As if on cue, the crystal shattered into a thousand tiny fragments and a baby dragon, with cerulean scales the color of a stormy sky, climbed up Kai's arm with jittery excitement and leapt onto the older dragon on perched in his usual spot.

Sparky growled in annoyance and shook him off, Kai just barely catching him.

The Alpha Dragon then handed the tiny beast to Jay.

Jay chortled elatedly as he watched the lightning-eyed creature crawl through his shirt and tangled itself into his belt.

"Stormy," Said the Master of Lightning. "That's his name."

Kai beamed. "And he's all yours."

Just as Kai finished his sentence, more crystals burst into fragments and baby dragons were handed to new masters.

Lloyd grinned pridefully at his brave green-shaded creature which he'd named Fireheart, after the very ninja who jeopardized his life to protect him too many times to count. Kai, of course, was pleased.

Zane did the same with his pale-as-snow dragon named Blizzard.

Morro's new partner, Silent Wing, crept into the boy's black hair, her silver-gray scales sparkling in the sunset. Morro had never had a friend before. And he loved the feeling of being cherished.

But Cole hadn't had such a positive reaction. He only winced away from the sharp, pointy teeth and deadly claws. But like her new friend, Boulder was very, _very_ persistent. She nuzzled his chin and gave her partner puppy-dog eyes until the supposedly strong young man gave in and practically constricted the dragon in a tight snuggle, which, not to mention, Boulder kind of liked.

"Oh, and one more thing…" Kai led his teammates on, smiling.

The Alpha Dragon received a strange sense of familiarity as he watched six more color-coded crystals embed themselves into the chests of his allies. They, of course, did not face as much pain as he had when he'd transformed (Kai's dragon side consisted of larger portions than the others), but they did have some pain. And Kai did not feel bad about it.

Sensei Wu nodded proudly at the new appearances of his students. They all were similar to Kai, and their uniforms resembled Morro's. And they were all elated.

"Well," Said Lloyd, still admiring his green-slicked scales. "What do we do now?"

The entire party looked to Kai.

"What shall you have your team do, Alpha?" Garmadon asked, grinning at the shocked expression on the Master of Fire's face.

Kai shifted his weight between weary feet. How would he know what to do? He was only here to assist, not to lead! "Uh…"

He looked into every set of eyes as they patiently waited for a game plan. Suddenly, he got it.

Guys, I have an idea." Kai smiled slightly. "But you're gonna have to trust me."

* * *

 **Hello, future authors, and thank you for reading the next chapter of the Elemental Crystals! I hope you all enjoyed it! :D**

 **Anyway, hope you all had an amazing Halloween! I went with a friend of mine and now my feet are really sore... but the good news is a got loads of candy to share with you all! Enjoy a Halloween cookie... or twelve. (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::) ;)**

 **One more thing, if any of you have a G+ account, let me know, and I'll follow you!**

 **Okay, now I'm done. And tired. Good night or morning or afternoon or something else! :D**

 **-HKM**

 **REMINDER: My Faniversary is coming up! A year ago on November 15, I joined Fanfiction! How this works is I will post as many updates on this day as I can and give personalized shout-outs to all those who have supported me for the past year. I encourage you all to try it too! It's pretty fun, and it feels AWESOME knowing that you are making someone's day brighter. XD**

 **REMINDER: I have two more stories that are coming up! YAY! XD**

 **As most of you know, after Thanksgiving, I will be uploading a new NinjaGo story called Home For the Holidays. It's about KAI! And Nya. But mostly KAI! XD**

 **And after Christmas, or after I finish one of my stories, I will be uploading a novelization of the NinjaGo Papercutz Comic, Destiny of Doom! It's pretty self-explanatory. And unlike Night of the Nindroids, there will be NO twists or anything like that! I just wanted to novelize it! XD**

 **Hope you guys like these ideas! If you do, let me know via PM's or reviews! If you don't... IDK. Thanks! Buh-bye!**


	7. Journey to the Tengen Gate

**Chapter 4: Journey to the Tengen Gate**

Kai and Misako search through the large library of ancient scrolls in front of them. They'd already been probing the shelves for hours, yet, they had found nothing.

"How do you know it will be here?" Asked Misako, perceptibly skeptical.

"I'm not sure," Kai replied, not looking back at the older woman as he chuckled. "But trust me on this… I know it's here. I can feel it."

Misako snickered. "You know, Kai, your gut feeling isn't very well-known for being accurate, and…"

"Found it!"

"What?" Lloyd's mother rushed to Kai's side, where she found him standing, a scroll in hand, and a victorious expression on his face. "Well, what are you waiting for? Open it!"

Sitting down on the ground, Misako following quickly, he rolled the scroll out onto the flooring. The writing was in a strange language that even Misako could not decipher. Fortunately, Kai could.

He skimmed the first few sentences with lightning speed, then gasped.

"What is it?" Misako peered over his shoulder.

"Apparently," Kai glanced up to the older woman as he pointed out certain symbols on the ancient piece. "The Dragon Hunters have always been a threat… while my father ruled over the Dragons' Realm, the Hunters were actually a large tribe that were promised big riches in exchange for dragon skin and meat."

"Promised from who?"

"Someone named Serrator. He was apparently a man with large fortunes, and a knack for dark magic; he made slick deals all the time just to get what he wanted, though in the end he always double-crossed them, and the worst part… there is no record of his defeat, which means he must still be out there!"

Misako nodded understandingly, "Travis and his kids must be the only remaining survivors of Serrator's wrath… but it was hundreds of years ago, so they must not know that he only cares for himself." Misako sighed. "But what does he want with all the dragon merchandise, and what can we do to take back your realm?"

Reading through the rest of the scroll for good measure, the Master of Dragons mumbled under his breath and skimmed through the words once more. "Well, remember how I said that he has a knack for dark magic? It looks like he uses the skins and flesh of dragons to make potions and vials consisting of some kind of dark magic." Kai shuddered at the thought. "

"But it's not hopeless for the good guys here, because the scroll also mentions that there is a temple called the Tengen Gate that holds within its walls the Crystal of Elements." Chuckling, Kai exhaled. "Well, _that_ doesn't sound familiar."

"I've always heard stories of this… but I never thought any were to be true!" Misako exclaimed suddenly. "The Crystal of Elements is the keeper of all the powers inside of you… well, at least the ones given from the other crystals. If it falls into the wrong hands, disaster will descend upon us all. But, there is good news: like the Golden Weapons, no mortal can make contact with the Crystal, which means that we have a chance at retrieving it before the Dragon Hunters do."

"All of this sounds like a whole bunch of stuff that we've faced in the past mixed together." Kai revealed his inner thoughts, groaning slightly. "You don't think that is at least a _little_ odd?"

Shrugging, Misako continued, "We'll just have to take our chances."

"And you know that I am always willing to take chances."

" _Willing_? You do it for a living!"

Kai smiled through his somewhat grim expression. "Then let's find the Tengen Gate… wherever that is."

* * *

"The Tengen Gate… hmm…" Sensei Wu stroked his beard thoughtfully and looked over to Kai and Misako, uneasiness bright on his face. "I haven't been there for a long time."

"Wait a minute," Kai gasped, visibly delighted. "You've been to the Tengen Gate before?"

Wu nodded. "Yes, for a short time after my father's passing, I was a Guardian of the Crystal of Elements."

"Well, where is this Tengen Gate?" Asked Misako. "The scrolls did not disclose its location."

"The Tengen Gate is a small temple located somewhere in the icy mountain range close to Ignacia…"

"Ignacia?" Kai exclaimed, dipping his head meditatively. "You must mean the Ignacia Peaks, then. I think I know where a temple would be located up there."

Exchanging hopeful expressions, the trio divided to notify the rest of the team about their next assignment.

* * *

"So," Morro tapped his sensei on the shoulder as he and the rest of the team shielded themselves behind Kai's fiery wings to elude the bitter winds that seemed to be refrigerating the mountain tops. "What exactly do we need the Crystal of Elements for?"

Sparing himself the deceleration of rotating towards his students, Wu continued his quick pace. "The Crystal of Elements contains the powers of all of your ancestors."

"But I thought that was what these crystals inside of us are for." Stated Jay, clearly flustered by the entire experience.

"Not quite… they are pieces of the Crystal of Elements," Seeing the ninjas' baffled expressions, Garmadon hastily explained the Crystal's history. "See, the Crystal is divided into individual pieces, a piece for each elemental power. But, not wanting his family to be in danger, Kai's father shattered the Dragon's Piece, in hopes of destroying it. But, he found that each fragment of the Dragon's Piece still glowed with power. So he hid them in the caves that would one day be named to Elemental Crystal Caverns, where they would stay for decades."

"That is," Wu continued, dipping his head to his brother. "Until you took them on. Now they are safe inside of you all, which is good, because the Crystal of Elements is completely dysfunctional without all of the pieces being interconnected…"

"So, wait," Kai cut in, apprehension obvious on his face. "What happens to us if we make contact with the crystal? You said in the library that something would happen… "

Misako slowly nodded. "The Crystal is highly sensitive to the outlandish evolutions of the external world, and it would probably shatter, say a mortal touches it. But it has been said that half-bloods have made contact with the Crystal of Elements and nothing drastic has occurred."

"Wait a minute… isn't Kai a half-blood? His father was a dragon, after all." Said Lloyd.

The entire party gazed in the Alpha Dragon's direction. Kai simply shrugged, as if he had already known this fact. "That doesn't mean no one else can touch it. Whoever this 'Serrator' is, we know very little about him. So keep your eyes out; if this Crystal is the one thing that can make or break a villain, he'll certainly be after it. Let's keep moving."

* * *

The temple, as Wu had said before, was rather small for a building safeguarding one of the most significant objects in history. An arch made of redwood marked the beginning of the cobble walkways through lush gardens and tiny ponds, all of which met at the entrance of the temple.

All that seemed to have surrounded the Crystal of Elements were four walls and a roof that could have been effortlessly taken down if someone went far enough to try.

An elder monk, with an extended white beard and an ancient face like Wu, gracefully stepped out towards the ninja, smiling when his old friend came into view. "Wu! What a surprise! What brings you here after all these years?"

"We have come in search of the Crystal of Elements," Wu replied, retaining his grim expression. "Kasai, I'd like you to meet my students: Lloyd, Jay, Cole, Morro, Nya, Zane, and Kai…"

"Kai?" Kasai gasped, rushing over to the Master of Fire. "As in Kairhee Nightingale… Sky the Great's son?"

Kai nodded as a slight twinge of red appeared in his cheeks, bowing courteously. "That's right. It is nice to meet you, Kasai."

The monk beamed. "And you as well, Kairhee. It's not very hard to tell, you know, who you are. Many around here say your appearance echoes your father's… and I must say that they are truthful."

After a few heartbeats of uncomfortable silence, Kasai spoke again. "Come, let us unite with the others inside, and you will be escorted to the Crystal of Elements."

The ninja passed through the commons and waterways until they arrived at the door of the temple. The elder monk did not hesitate to open it for the ninja team. "Welcome, fierce warriors, to the Tengen Gate."

The first thing they had noticed about the undersized development was the uncanny similarities between it and Wu's ancient monastery, which had been burnt to the ground two years prior.

The redwood beams that held the roof above their heads.

The many secret doors and rooms surrounding them, despite the temple's small size.

The cerulean teapots and cups scattered throughout the room.

It was almost an exact replica of the old monastery. At least now they knew where Wu received his tea-drinking habits from.

As they marched past other monks, the elders exchanged unreadable glances and conversed amongst themselves.

"Come, this way." Kasai led the team into a side room, protected by state-of-the-art fingerprint identification.

"Wow," Morro snickered, watching as the door slowly slid shut behind them. "That's some crazy technology you have here."

Kasai nodded, "We have dedicated our lives to surviving without all of that nonsensical machinery, but when it comes to the fate of the sixteen… excuse me, _fifteen_ realms, we are very, _very_ cautious." The monk held out a hand for Kai. "Only you… only a half-blood can grasp the Crystal of Elements. You _are_ a half-blood, right?"

"Yes."

"Good, then follow me." Kasai and the Master of Fire stepped away from the group, Kai waving to them as he left.

* * *

"Gather here, ninja," Lowering himself down onto a hefty rug, Daisuke, who resembled Kasai in many ways, motioned for the ninja to follow. With considerable reluctance, they did. "Let us drink some healthful green tea for good luck on your journey." With the snap of his fingers, four other monastics gathered the scattered tableware and rushed off into a kitchenette of sorts.

A shorter, younger monk, Hayate, nodded in greeting from his spot beside Cole. "Yes, but… what exactly is your journey? Why do you need the Crystal of Elements?"

"See," Lloyd began, "Our new leader, Kai, is the Master of Dragons. He watches over the Dragons' Realm when he can. But just recently, the Dragon Hunters took over his realm and are awaiting his return…"

Hayate fell backwards, gasping. "You don't mean… no, it can't be! The Dragon Hunters are alive?" The monk crawled over to Lloyd and rested his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Please, tell me that Serrator has not made any deals with them yet."

"Kai seems to think so."

Hayate's expression turned grim. In spite of the very few words that escaped his thin lips, Daisuke snapped his fingers again, and the other monk skulked back into his seat.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Crystal of Elements!"

Kai and Kasai emerged through the door, both smiling as the kaleidoscopic crystal hovered above Kai's palms.

"Whoa!" The ninja leapt from their seats and stood beside their teammate as they admired the gemstone.

Taking advantage of the commotion, a dark shadow crept through the window and made its way over to the unattended platter of brews. Grinning, it threw a hand over top of the cup that he knew would belong to his target. "With the ninja gone, Ninjago will finally see who their leader is, and it won't be a bunch of color-coded lizards."

Just as Daisuke made his way over to the tray of tea cups, the shadow slipped away undetected, laughing sinisterly as it disappeared into the light of day.

Each ninja took a cup gratefully, nodding in thanks to the monks.

Once Daisuke had sat back down, he raised his goblet and smiled. "To the Master of Dragons, who has far surpassed his father's legacy."

Sparky chirped jubilantly, and while the others clashed their cups together and chatted amongst themselves blissfully, Lloyd couldn't shake the peculiar sensation that his elders knew more than they had been letting on, just as he had felt after his discussion with Garmadon prior to this entire disaster.

But before his thoughts went any further in his envisaged investigation, he caught of glimpse of Kai's terrified expression as the Master of Dragon spit out whatever tea he had left in his mouth.

Collapsing onto the floors beneath him, Kai wrapped his fingers gingerly around his throat, coughing and gasping every few heartbeats.

"The drink…" He managed to verbalize through groans of agony just as the surrounding monks and ninja hurried to his side. "…It's poisoned!"

* * *

 **Uh, oh! Kai's been poisoned! Hope you all liked this chapter, and I just wanna say... THANK THE LORD THAT FINALS ARE OVER! Whoo, were those stressful. But, in all seriousness, I'd like to thank you all for you kind reviews and patience.**

 **That reminds, me... I apologize that I never got to Home for the Holidays. I just had far too many stories to write at the time. But I am almost done with the next chapter of the Blacksmith's Son, which only has a few more chapters left if all goes according to plan. I'm also getting through the next chapter of The Walking Dead, which features a VERY long description of Rick's children (KAI AND NYA!). So, I'll be done with that soon too, I hope.**

 **Welp, I've got some research to do, so I'll see you all later (hopefully tomorrow or Friday; whenever I get done with the Blacksmith's Son chapter 24! )**

 **-HKM**

 **P.S.: Has anyone else seen the new episodes yet? If you have, PM me and we can discuss it! Even if you haven't, it's cool! PM me anyway! I love to PM people, especially about NinjaGo! So don't hesitate! Do it! The ninja are depending on you! (not really) ;)**


	8. UPDATE COMING SOON

Hey, guys! HKM here! Sorry it's been so long. High school can be both stressful and restricting. But now (hopefully) I'm back. And after that very long break, I can hopefully update my stories, especially for my poor Blacksmith's Son fans, who have been waiting for an ending for such a long time. I'm not sure how often I will be able to update, and I'm not sure I'll be able to post any more stories, but I can try. Thank you all for your patience.

As a final note, I will put up a poll asking you all what you want to see updated first. I will try to update all of my stories within the next couple of months, but I prefer to see what you all what to see first. I hope you all choice wisely, because updates may be weeks apart... but I will try my hardest.

Again, I am so sorry that it's been so long. I'm sure many of you are very disappointed in me. Thank you all for sticking around, and I will try SO HARD to bring you all updates soon, hopefully the first update will be posted within the next week or two.

Have a wonderful day/night, and I will see you all in the next update! Please vote!

-HKM


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